VISITING SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF EUROPEAN UNION PLANS TO SEND UP TO 2,000 SOLDIERS TO CONGO BEFORE AND AFTER FREE ELECTIONS, ACCORDING TO GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL ON SATURDAY. SPEAKING AFTER MEETING MBEKI IN BERLIN, SHE SAID THE SOUTH AFRICAN LEADER VIEWED THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE EU AND GERMANY IN THE CONGO AS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. SHE SAID THIS "POSITIVE ATTITUDE" FROM SOUTH AFRICA WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE MISSION, DPA REPORTED. SOUTH AFRICA WAS INITIALLY WARY OF THE EU PLANS TO DEPLOY PEACEKEEPERS TO THE AFRICAN COUNTRY. MERKEL AND OTHERS ASKED MBEKI TO SPEAK TO CONGOLESE PRESIDENT JOSEPH KABILA IN FAVOUR OF THE MISSION. MBEKI SAID IN BERLIN SATURDAY THAT THE ULTIMATE DECISION WAS UP TO THE CONGOLESE. THE PRESIDENT ADDED THAT THE SUPPORT OF GERMANY WAS IMPORTANT TO THE WHOLE OF AFRICA IN MASTERING THREATS TO THE CONTINENT.
